The Sports Forum
803 W. Mosel AvenueThe clock is ticking on that baby growing in J’s belly. We’re down to one week before the actual due date which means J and I are getting the last little bit of sleep we can get before everything changes. It was after breakfast by the time we woke up this morning and neither of us got moving very fast. I still had some left over pizza from last night that we snacked on until it was full on time for lunch.
I didn’t really have any solid ideas about where to go for lunch, but I was sort of thinking of a little sports bar I noticed one day on my way to Parchment. It’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere so I was a little hesitant, but I found a menu online and we were sold.
The Sports Forum is on Mosel Avenue in Kalamazoo Township between Westnedge and Douglas Avenues. It’s right off the US 131 BL but if you’re coming from the south, it can be a little tricky to get to. When I mapped it from Oshtemo, the quickest route was to go all the way down town and north on Riverview to Mosel right on the edge of Parchment.
We were a little hesitant driving to an unknown place because we were both pretty hungry and not in the mood for disappointment. We were both a little relieved when we spotted the place and noticed a pretty full parking lot for a Sunday afternoon. Read more…
From a Promote Michigan press release……
Salt of the Earth Announces 3rd Annual Michigan Wine & Beer Dinner Series
(FENNVILLE, Mich) – In what has become a wildly-popular winter/spring tradition, West Michigan’s Salt of the Earth announces its third-annual monthly Michigan Wine & Beer Dinner Series at its downtown Fennville rustic American eatery, starting on January 11 and running through June 20.
“We’re excited to continue this unique experience where we showcase the finest Michigan beverages paired with our own style of casual cuisine,” says proprietor Mark Schrock. “Winemakers and brewers are present at each event, along with a very special lineup of guest chefs from around the state. We invite you to come celebrate the best of Michigan food and beverage with us!”
The 2012 series will span six months and feature Michigan wineries and breweries exclusively. Multiple courses will be served at each event, paired with the best from each producer. Many taste selections are from wine and beer maker’s personal cellars that are not always available to the public. A “Guest Chef” will also join SotE Chef Matthew Pietsch in the kitchen to prepare the evening’s locally-infused menu.
The series kicks off on Wednesday, January 11 at 7:00PM when the SotE team – along with Chef Drew Turnipseed from Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids – will prepare its first “Wine Meets Beer” themed dinner – a double-tasting, featuring wines from nearby Fenn Valley Vineyards and beer from Grand Rapids’ Brewery Vivant. The five-course menu includes: Course 1 – Salt / Vivant Cured Meats (pork – venison – lamb – beer wort); Course 2 – Soup & Salad (peach – turnip – rye – poppyseed); Course 3 – Swedish Chef (char – potato – beef – parsnip – smoke); Course 4 – Duck, Duck, Goose (confit – roast – poach – squash); and Course 5 – Doughnuts! (sour cream – yeast leavened – cake). Cost is $65 plus tax & gratuity. Reservations are required, call 269-561-SALT (7258).
2012 SotE Michigan Wine & Beer Series Schedule
Wednesday January 11
“Wine Meets Beer”
Double tasting event with Fenn Valley Winery and Brewery Vivant and five courses.
Winemaker: Doug Welsch | Brewer: Jason Spaulding | Guest Chef: Drew Turnipseed, Brewery Vivant $65
Wednesday February 8
“Rustic Bubbles- v2”
L. Mawby/M.Lawrence
Michigan sparkling wines, with appetizers and canapés.
Winemaker: Mike Laing | Guest Chef: Jesse Hahn, Trailer Park’d & Fork in the Road restaurant $45
Wednesday March 14
“Jolly Pumpkin & North Peak Beer Dinner”
Wednesday April 18
“WOMP Wine Dinner”
Seven Old Mission wineries, seven courses!
Wednesday May 16
“Founders Beer Dinner”
Wednesday June 20
“Wyncroft Summer Wine Dinner”
Antique Kitchen Family Restaurant
6215 S. Westnedge Avenue- Portage, MI 49002
- (269) 327-4014
- No Known Website
- Menu
Monday night, J and I were watching the Monday Night Comedies on CBS. During Mike & Molly, one of the characters mentioned something about Eggs Benedict. I looked at J and asked why she never made me Eggs Benedict. I knew the answer, but I still like being a smart ass every now and then. She said we had a ultrasound appointment in the morning and I could get Eggs Benedict afterwards.
The ultrasound went super quick and we were back in the car almost ten minutes after our appointment was scheduled. J said she was hungry and wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to be out of the house. I still wanted that Eggs Benedict so we headed north on Westnedge to find something to eat.
Antique Kitchen Family Restaurant is right in the main shopping district of Portage. It’s in the parking lot of Toys R Us behind the Ross Medical Education Center building. You can’t miss the place. There’s a large sign out on the road that displays which group they’re giving 20% off their bills this month (happens to be realtors right now…J and I aren’t realtors.)
The first thing I was really surprised by was the size. It was much smaller than I imagined. It’s no hole in the wall, but the building makes it look bigger than it really is. There are a lot of tables squeezed into the space and there’s a large, enclosed waiting area just outside the front door. The decor is kind of like a down home Cracker Barrel. It has that cozy feeling of a small town that’s been there forever. No frills. Nothing fancy. Read more…
Rustica
236 S. Kalamazoo MallOne more New Year’s Eve. One more with no babysitter. One more where it’s just J and me. I thought I was getting a jump on NYE by making our dinner reservations back in November. I was all excited and really looking forward to dinner at The Gatsby. Turns out, The Entertainment District had their own plans for the big night.
A few weeks ago, I started seeing ads for a big part in the E.D. that included a buffet for something at The Gatsby. I figured I better find out if my reservations were still good…even though they took it and confirmed it.
Turns out, they never should have taken the reservation….but the guy who e-mailed me was nice enough to try and sell me $99 tickets to the big festivities.
So, with The Gatsby out, we were on to Plan B. Our next thought was to try Casa Bolero. The switch to a tapas bar looked interesting. J called earlier in the week to get reservations….and found out they were closed on New Year’s Eve. At this point, neither of us really had any ideas…until J brought up Rustica.
J went to Rustica a couple of months ago with some friends, but I had yet to try the place. The downside to Rustica is they don’t take reservations….well, that was probably an upside since we were planning this only a few days from New Year’s Eve.
The plan was to get there right at 5:00 when they opened. We were a few minutes late getting to The Mall at about quarter after. I dropped J off in front of the building then went to find a parking spot. Read more…
Natural Health Center
4610 W. Main Street- Kalamazoo, MI 49006
- (269) 342-9459
- Website
A couple weeks ago, J and I stopped to pick up dinner at Penn Station after a trip to the hospital. J had been saying that we needed to make a run to Sawall’s to get some Raspberry Leaf Tea. I kept forgetting about it, but when we pulled in to the parking lot at Penn Station, I noticed a store that I thought may have what she was looking for.
Natural Health Center is a family owned business on the corner of West Main and Drake in the Westwood Plaza. The store stocks natural healthy foods, supplements, and beauty products.
The first time we walked in to the store two weeks ago, we were lost. We were looking for a couple things, but had no idea where to find them. We started searching the shelves until an employee noticed the confused looks on our faces. He asked what we were looking for and when we told him, he did our shopping for us. He disappeared around the corner and came back with everything we needed.
When we went today, we were a little more familiar with the store and were able to find what we were looking for without the help.
If you’re going to compare the store to Sawall’s, you’re going to notice that it’s much smaller. That doesn’t mean they don’t have a large selection of things though. J has taken a liking to the candy aisle and picks up a couple bags on every trip now. Read more…
Chipotle Mexican Grill – Oshtemo Township
5363 W. Main StreetHow to start our New Year’s weekend together? Somehow, I scored a Saturday off and I didn’t want to waste it in bed, so I set an alarm to get up. J woke up on her own about a half hour before I got up, so by the time I got up, she was ready to go get something to eat. I asked if we could wait a little while and just get lunch. When I told her I wanted to go to Chipotle, she didn’t object.
Kalamazoo finally got it’s first Chipotle when the Mexican chain moved in to the old Fire Bowl Cafe spot on West Main in November. Neither J or I had ever been to a Chipotle, but so many people were excited when they saw it was opening.
I really had no expectations when we walked through the door to find what looked more like an upscale lounge than a taco joint. The seating situation was interesting. There were a couple long bars that had chairs that looked like little stools. There were a couple regular tables that slid into the space around the bars.
We weaved our way to the back to order. The menu hanging above the order area is very vague. Since neither of us had ever eaten at a Chipotle, we really had no idea what to do. J took the lead and said she wanted two Chicken Tacos. The clerk said the tacos come in threes. That was fine with J. She was then given the choice of crunchy, flour or corn tortilla. She chose the flour which was then warmed up on a small taco press. From there, they move the tortillas down the line where they’re topped. J chose lettuce, sour cream, cheese and the medium salsa to finish off her chicken tacos. Read more…
Bagger Dave’s – Cascade Township
2817 Kraft AvenueI had another opportunity to actually go out for dinner at work again and I really wanted to take advantage of it. I read a few weeks ago about a new “Burger Tavern” opening up in Cascade Township and I’ve read some good reviews out of the Lansing location, so I was really excited to check it out.
Bagger Dave’s Legendary Burger Tavern is a new chain concept with roots in Southfield. Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc. opened the first Bagger Dave’s in Berkley in 2007. They’ve opened five more including the one in Grand Rapids. They have just started franchising with the first franchise restaurant set to open in Cape Girardeau, MO.
The restaurant is set up like any one of the other casual dining chains. I didn’t get a good look or feel for the place because I placed my order online for carry-out.
The parking lot was packed when I showed up to pick up my order at quarter to seven on a Friday night. Likewise, the waiting area was packed as well. There looked to be about a twenty to thirty minute wait when I showed up during peak dining time on a weekend. Read more…
New York Mike’s Italian Deli
1971 E. Beltline NE #123- Grand Rapids, MI 49525
- (616) 447-2505
- Website
- No Online Menu
I had a few minutes at work night between assignments so I decided to head out for dinner. I was driving down the Beltline looking for something to eat, but really wasn’t coming across anything that sounded good. I pulled in to a Wendy’s thinking that was good enough then I noticed what looked like a deli in the strip mall surrounding the Wendy’s so I went to check it out.
New York Mike’s Italian Deli is right on the Beltline next to the Meijer store just south of Knapp Street. It’s a pretty small space in a pretty typical strip mall. There are a handful of tables in the front with the kitchen and order counter all the way to the back.
There was a couple already ordering when I walked in so I headed to the big menu written on chalkboards on the back wall. I was really hoping for a good Pastrami sandwich since the place had the word “New York” in the name.
The kitchen was occupied by a man I heard another customer call Mike and a woman I heard “Mike” call mom. It looks like the place has been open for about six months with the grand opening happening in June. The few reviews of the place I could find online were all pretty positive. Read more…
Lindo Mexico Restaurant
1292 28th Street SWThere’s one co-worker who can almost always talk me in to going out somewhere for dinner….even when I bring my lunch. She always catches me as I’m digging into my lunch bag to pull out a sandwich usually with no suggestion for dinner, but knowing she wants something.
Our most recent conversation ended the way it usually does. I tell her to pick a place and she walks away. After a few minutes, I tracked her down to tell her I was in the mood for Mexican. That made her happy because there’s a place in Wyoming that she really likes.
I was really only in the mood for tacos so I didn’t even look over the menu. I told her I’d go get it if she’d call it in. Before she called in, she asked around the office to see if anyone else was in the mood for Mexican. There was one more guy, so the three of us were in.
Lindo Mexica Restaurant is on 28th Street in Wyoming in what looks to me like an old Pizza Hut. The two closest major cross streets are Burlingame and Michael. After C.W. put the call in, she told me it would be about 15 minutes until it was ready. That works because it was going to take me about 15 minutes to get there. Read more…
Denny’s – Kalamazoo
3817 E. Cork StreetWhat to do for a meal on Christmas Day? For lunch, I smoked a turkey breast and made some home made rolls, but as J and I sat down to watch the Bears game, we both started to get hungry. I really wanted pizza, but every place I checked was closed. I had dropped it and figured I’d just get some left over turkey at halftime, but J kept looking.
Earlier in the day, I had made a joke about our only two choices being Denny’s or IHOP. Last year, we ate at Perkins, but that’s closed now and not an option. As Josh McCown was driving deep in Green Bay territory, I heard J say, “mmmm Red Velvet Pancake Puppies.” I looked over at her iPad to see she was looking at the Denny’s menu. It was almost 10:00 but we sort of slept through dinner. I asked if she wanted to go and she said, “Sorta.” I figured what the hell. I was hungry too and it was one of the few things open.
The only Denny’s location in the Kalamazoo Metro area is on the corner of Sprinkle and Cork just to the north of the I-94 interchange. While sitting at the stoplight, I could tell there were several cars in the parking lot so we weren’t the only ones jonesing for some non-holiday food. Read more…
SW Michigan Dining 